King of Kings
by weepingmask
Summary: The world is literally coming to an end--WWIII started! But what has Serena got to do with anything? And why is the handsome King Diamond so nice to her? And why Serena can't remember a certain pair of green eyes? Conspiracy?
1. Default Chapter

Standard disclaimer.

Summary 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

*500 years into the future* Following World War III, the entire world is devastated. The World Powers are no longer powerful. Their resources, wealth, and morale are all broken beyond repair. Thus, the whole world falls into a state of anarchy, teetering on brink of extinction. People begin to lose faith in everything. 

It is in this perilous time, Osiris, a man of unknown ethnicity, rises and grasps power. Rumored to have unearthly powers, he pulls Earth back from the brink of extinction. 

Addressing the debate of governmental organization, which has spanned nearly the entire existence of man, Osiris decides to put the world under one uniform system of government: to be ruled by a single king and a single queen, their power balanced by the Advisorium, made up of "subordinate" countries, too weak to function on their own. He proclaims that no nobility will exist, for that will lead to medieval corruption. All are loyal to a single state: the state that encompasses all of mankind. Everyone is united in a single nation; religion occupies only a miniscule position because people are now faithless. Thus, there is no fighting between countries, and relgious wars are no longer waged. As a new monarch, he brings a time of peace...but how long will it last? 

This Story begins at the start of WWIII. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Prologue 

"Isis, I've got somthing to tell you. Isis...Isis? Hello? Anyone home? Isis...?" 

A hand waves incessantly infront of her far-off eyes. Suddenly pulled out of her reverie, Isis looks up into Erian's annoyed faced. 

"Wha...what?" 

He rolls his eyes from across the breakfast table, exasperated once again at her constant state of being out of touch with reality. 

"As I was going to say, don't wait for me later, ok? I'm not going to be able to make it to your party," he grins. "I've got a date with Rainaia." 

She winces and sighes. That hurt. It is once again Rainaia. To Isis, it is much more than jealousy, it is utter pain. For 5 years she has devoted every fiber of her being to Erian and loves him with all of her soul. She looks up into Erian's green eyes and bitterly thinks, 

"Why 

are 

you 

so 

blind?"


	2. Chapter 1

Standard Disclaimer.

Chapter 1

Serena declared that life was unfair. It was official. She was absolutely sure of it. Gods, how she feared for her life. Every moment, she was not sure if she would live to see another day. She was only 19 for crying out loud! What had she done wrong to be born into such a turbulent century? 

She wondered exactly what was wrong with the world and concluded that if it was anyone's fault it was the scientists'. Each country, bent on creating the perfect weapon of mass destruction, employed brilliant minds to further their own dastardly ambitions. And the funny thing was that people were all eager enough to spend billions of dollars on tentative bomb projects, but shamefully stingy when it came to making shelters for the helpless. It was just all so wrong.

Trudging to class, her mood was further dampened by the bleak monday morning. She paused suddenly, looking up at the grey clouds floating across an angry sky. She sighed, remembering the day when her parents died.

The camelot, the one brief shining moment one's life, is one's childhood. Carefree and blissfully untied to anything, childhood is one of the few blessings anyone could possibly recieve. To have such a gift taken away is the ultimate crime that can be committed against anyone. It's a punishment one would not even wish upon their worst enemy. And wishing to grow up too fast is another unecessary evil, paralleling suicide in useless magnitude.

Closing her eyes and eveloping herself in mental fog, Serena remembered the exact words she spoke on the day of her parent's death. No, death wasn't even kind enough to let her forget.

"Momma! Can we go to the beach today? I got a good grade on my project!" a four-year-old Serena held up a picture of crudely drawn doll. "PLEASE?" her four year old eyes pleaded with her mother. 

Smiling warmly, the corners of her eyes crinkling, her mother replied, "Of course, my little angel, of course." 

"YAY!" 

The happy family packed beach materials in a plastic bag and piled into their station wagon. In a most endearing fashion, the family sang songs and told jokes as they drove toward their destination. 

In the middle of a particularly physical song, "Bingo," Serena stubbed her toe on the seat infront of her whilst trying to clap. Her concerned father turned around, hearing her anguished cry. 

In that fateful instant, a drunk driver driving in the wrong lane plowed headfirst into their car. Her father had been turned around, unable to swerve into another path in time.

Her childhood had been severed, never to be recoverd. She was condemned to face emotions and such harsh situations that many adults could not live through.

To this day she still blamed herself for their deaths.

In a flash of blinding light, Serena was knocked unconscious, her parents and the drunk driver instantly dying upon impact.

She remembered waking up in a stark white room, full of menacing machines beeping angrily at her. Looking at the contraptions around her arm and around her legs, her hands flew up to her pounding head. Feeling a huge peice of cloth wrapped around her head, Serena did what instinct dictated that all confused children should do: she called out for her mother. 

Hearing her calls, a nurse hurried into her room. 

Startled at her entrance, Serena stared at the nervous woman who was curiously wringing her hands. Finding her voice, Serena asked, "Where's my momma?" 

Trying to think of a good response, the nurse lamely replied, "They're in a nice place, with angels!" unsuccessfully attempting to breaking the news to Serena gently. 

"Oh." Serena felt better. Mommy had told her that angels were good creatures who protected good people. And since her mommy and daddy were good people, her parents were ok. 

"So, when is mommy and daddy coming to pick me? I'm tired. I want mommy to tell me a story. Owie my head hurts. My boo-boo needs mommy's kiss. Mrs. Lady, can you tell mommy to come? When is mommy and daddy getting back from that nice place with pretty angels?" Serena continued in her small voice. 

The nurse promptly burst into tears, unable to bring herself to explain anymore.

Serena was just further baffled.

She was still to young to truly grasp the idea of death. All she wanted was for her parents to come get her. It was much later, in an act of absolute cruelty that someone revealed to her death was. Up until then she had always had faith that her parents were coming, but had simply gotten lost on their way back from the place with angels.

Slowly, her tiny body recovered in that sterile hospital. The nurse had become quite attached to her, reading her bedtime stories and keeping little Serena company for the rest of her stay. But as happens with all good things, Serena's state of relative happiness was shattered when the hospital transferred her to an orphanage. Serena still recalled being confused when she saw the nurse crying uncontrollably one Monday morning when people in crisp suits came to take her to a "nice home with many children."

She remembered entering the orphanage, her frightened eyes wide, searching for a friendly face. Across the room, a pair of green eyes stared back at her. The eyes belonged to Erian Hallen, who was then 8 years old. In her he found a kindred soul, for his parents had likewise died. Despite the teasing he recieved, Erian soon afterwards became her inseprable best friend, constantly protecting her and comforting her. 

Serena was close to tears remembering her short childhood, but began to brighten as she rembered the kindess of Erian. It was him that kept her somewhat happy during her childhood, and it was him that remained by her side. Even now, it was him with who she lived. She sighed. She didn't quite remember when she had began to fall in love with him. 

Aware that she had reached the stone building of her University, Serena continued unhappily into her classroom. She sat quietly in her assigned seat, facing her political science proffesor. 

Ten minutes later, after class began, the school sirens went off, scaring Serena immensely. For months she and her fellow classmates had been drilled in what to do in the event of a bombing threat. Unsure if the sirens were another drill or a real alert, Serena looked to her teacher. Observing the panicked look upon his face, she surmised that this was a real bomb threat. Upon being informed that this was not a drill, screams erupted from left and right. Serena's heart plummeted. The world war was going to begin? She and her panicked classmates ran to the center of the classroom and flipped open the stairs that lead to the bomb shelter. In a frenzied mass, everyone shoved into it. 

Inside the shelter, the teacher tried unsuccessfully to calm his students down. He cleared his throat and shakily announced, "It seems that," he looked to his wsqu (war status quo updater) for verefication, "California has just been hit with a missile from France." 

Someone from the back of the room fainted.

Thanks for reading, please review?

Copyright, weepingmask (weepingmask@yahoo.com) 2002


	3. Chapter 2

Standard Disclaimer.

Chapter 2

******

Erian banged his head against his desk, berating himself for his own stupidity. How in the world could he have left for Washington, D.C., knowing through his connections in the government that France was going to attack the US? Human nature rolled his eyes muttering an "I told you so" and remarking on his human tendency to not believe anything until it was too late. Once again, Erian had made a bad decision by leaving Serena at home. It would be entirely his fault if he never saw her again. He did work for the American government and often need to travel in order to recieve his next assignment, but his job didn't warrent leaving his precious Odango at home helpless and by herself with all hell threatening to break loose. It was utterly stupid to leave Serena alone at a time like this. He continued banging his head against the desk.

Bang. *Stupid.*

Bang. *Stupid.*

Bang. *Stupid.*

What if she was hurt? He'd never forgive himself.

"Sir, you have a call on line 9."

Silence. Bang.

"Sir? Hello...Sir? Uh, sir? Are you alright? I hear a bang." the secretary was getting annoyed.

Erian suddenly broke out of his thoughts. "Oh, heh. Sorry, Molly. I'm here. Who's the calling?"

"It's Fredericks. Something about a camel? Eh, you government people are strange..." Erian stifled a chuckle at this point, smiling at Molly's confusion, but his face quickly fell. What situation had warrented the camel? "Anyways, it seems urgent. Whatever. Just pick up the phone," Molly finished and clicked off.

With shaky hands, Erian picked up the phone. 

"Hello? Fredericks, what's going on?...No! Oh my Lord, that's not possible! I can't do that! I've got a life here!...What are you talking about? Of course I'm bound. Just because I don't have a wife and children doesn't mean that I can go off and do something like that! I have Serena to care about. You know that! I can't leave her. Are you crazy? WHAT THE--"

Click. 

Erian was fuming. The stupid man hung up! Erian was going to kill his boss. How dare that arrogant bastard assume that he was unbound? Just because he wasn't married didn't mean he was expendable!

It was unfair to put him in such a position in which he needed to choose his livelihood or Serena.

Logically, he needed the job, for it was absolutely necessary to keep himself and Serena fed and clothed.

Discovering he still held the phone in his hand, he slammed the reciever down as hard as he could.

"Sh*t!" he gurlged a scream.

He would need to obey orders.

After a string of four-lettered words, Erian calmed down.

A small tear escaped his left eye as he wondered if he would ever see his Odango again. Grabbing the keys on his desk, Erian flew out the door and into his hovercraft, leaving a very confused Molly gaping in his wake.

*******

Serena was afraid. She had been sitting in the shelter for three hours, still able to hear the faint sounds of bombs striking San Fransisco. 

She concluded that the missiles used some sort of nuclear technology, for situated 200 miles from the target site and she felt the earth tremble under every blow. 

Her thoughts drifted Erian.

A massive thought struck her. *Oh My GOD! ERIAN! I have to call him!*

For once she was happy that Erian worked for the government. Working for the government meant that she could contact Erian through a sat phone. In a time of precariousness, cell phones were too unrealiabe. Too much air disturbance generated by various machines invented by bored scientists made calls from cell phones nearly impossible. God bless sat phones. Sat phones depended upon an intricate wiring system, located deep beneath the earth's surface where even bombs could not penetrate. The wires were mobile, moved by mechanized arms to connect to sockets that lead to various government office compartments. A socket was required by law to be located in every possible building in the US. Picking up her sat phone, she the pluged wire into a socket on the ground and told the machine to direct the call to Erian's office.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Serena groaned. The line was busy! Maybe she'd just try back later.

*****

Pumping loud music greeted Erian as he stepped into Heart's Blood, a popular club. It seemed that even in a time of crisis that club would never be dull. Shielding his eyes from blinding lights, Erian made his way to Lorraine's office. He knocked on the door tentatively.

"Come in," a voice from inside beckoned.

Erian punched in the secret code and the metal door infront of him slid open.

Sitting in the middle of the room was a chunky middle-aged man surrounded by three female massueses.

Erian grunted an unhappy hello.

"I see you're happy to see me," Lorraine sarcasticaly remarked. "Anyways, here are the tickets. You know what to do. See you sometime in the future, I hope. No, scratch that. I don't like you all that much." Lorraine corrected himself as he handed Erian the tickets.

Erian grabbed the plane tickets from the hateful man, turned on his heals and stormed out of the office.

Once outside of the club, he made a phone call to Serena explaining his situation.

He was going to France. 

******

"Class, the wsqu tells me that you may return to your homes. Please stay safe."

The class nodded and exited the shelters, eager to go home and hug their parents.

Serena simply followed the crowd. Erian was in D.C. No one was at home to greet her. But nonetheless, she wasn't all that depressed. After all, Erian would return in a matter of two days. 

As she opened the door to her and Erian's home, the me-an (message announcer) reported the latest message left on her house phone.

"Hey, girlie-girl! It's me Erian! I've got some bad news for you. I'm not going to come home for at least another four or five months. Naw, girl, don't be sad! Big, strong old me has to go earn money for both of us. My boss says I have to go to France. I promise to be back! I'll try to call you soon! Bye! Hugs and kisses. Stay healthy, Odango!"

Her bag fell with a heavy clunk to the floor as Serena sat down on the floor and began to sob. Her hopes of seeing Erian again were crushed. It wouldn't been for another four or five months! He had never been away for such a long period of time. She need Erian so badly. She was so afraid. What if the French were to bomb her city while he was gone? She might never get the chance to say goodbye! Why wasn't he here to care for her when the world was falling apart? And why did he have to go to France?

***Ten months later***

Serena was terribly afraid. It had been 4 months since Erian promised to return. The bombing had become extremely intense and with every passing moment closer to her city. School had been canceled, and she had permanently moved to the Common Shelter. 

It was in the last few days she had decided to use the remainder of her money to go to France and find Erian. It sure as hell was a better idea than sitting at home waiting for a bomb to reach her city and kill her.

Five weeks later, her big chance came. The bombing had stopped for the time being because France was having techincal difficulties preventing them from their scheduled bombing. Serena hurried home and packed her belongings and got into her personal hoverplane. Plotting the course carefully, she turned on the autopilot and the sleeping gas.

Her eyes closed as the hoverplane rose off the ground and began it's trip toward France.

It was much later Serena felt herself land. Her eyes registered that she had landed in the middle of a meadow. Stepping out of her hoverplane, she stretched and yawned.

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON ROYAL GROUNDS?" a loud voice from behind her barked.

Before she could turn around to see who was yelling at her, Serena felt a sharp pain in the small of her back and fainted dead away.

The guard motioned to his fellow henchmen and the group approached the unconcious Serena.

Picking her up, the guards burst into the royal council meeting.

"King Diamond! We have an intruder!" one guard informed.

"What? How is that possible? No aircrafts, hovercrafts, or any movement from outsiders has been detected fo over 24 hours!" King Diamond exclaimed, flabbergasted.

The remaining four men presented the unconcious blond woman to the royal highness. 

King Diamond's eyes widened. It was her!

Quickly, King Diamond wiped the surprised look off his face as he evenly ordered, "Bring her to my chambers. I shall prosecute this one in private."

"Yes sir," the guards blandly replied.

King Diamond narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. How could she still be alive? He had personally hired the assasins to kill her exactly 15 years ago.

Likewise, another person's eyes in that same room widened in shock and recognition.

                       *         *         *

"Are you crazy?!" a French accent screamed.

"No. Of course not. This girl isn't supposed to be here." a calm voice replied.

"So you, Mr. Knight in Shining Armor, are going to save her...uh-huh...yeah!" the French man responded sarcastically.

"I'll try."

"Not tonight. It's too risky."

"Alright."

              *         *        *

"Oh my God...I feel sick..." Serena moaned when she woke up. She felt as if someone had decided to stuff wool in her head. Her vision was still highly hazy, and she couldn't really see her surroundings.

"Where am I?"

"You're at his majesty's palace," a voice said, making her jump out of her skin. 

"WHO ARE YOU?!" She began to panic when she felt she was wearing different clothes and was sitting up in something that felt like a bed. Dozens of frightful thoughts flitted through her head. Oh my god. Was I raped? She thought frantically as thrust her hands out infront of her trying to feel her way out of the fluffy bed. Her vision was still terrible.

"Stop right there!" the guard that just spoke raced toward her and attempted to pin her down so she wouldn't escape.

"LET ME GO! You BASTARD!"

"Unhand her. I'm here. You're dismissed," a chilling voice came from the door.

"Yes sir."

Serena wasn't sure if she should be sad or happy.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not here to harm you. Stay where you are. I promise you nothing happened and that you are perfectly safe," a gentle voice assured.

"..."

"What are you doing here anyways? Did you know you were tresspassing on private property yesterday?"

"No..." and she blacked out again.

Copyright, weepingmask (weepingmask@yahoo.com) 2002


	4. Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimer.

Chapter 3

King Diamond sat in a circular room staring at his wine glass. His face was illuminated by a roaring fire and many candles, giving it an eerie glow. He was very, very frustrated. Absentmindedly, he began to swirl the glass around wildly, the wine nearly sloshing over the rims. Without warning, he threw the glass against the wall.

"SHIT!" he screamed as the glass shattered.

"This was not supposed to happen. She is supposed to be dead," he kept repeating to himself.

To almost everyone who knew him, King Diamond was perfect: just, practical, rational, religious, and tolerant. Diamond had most ingeniously created for himself an image beyond reproach, and all people hailed him as wonderful. There were few that fully understood who, or rather _what_ he was.  For in truth, King Diamond was a very, very strange man. Perhaps he could even be considered unholy. He certainly never had been quite normal. Because of a lasting fascination with the supernatural, King Diamond avidly collected and stashed away a vast number of forbidden books on the Dark Arts. No one knew about these books. They were his pride and soul. King Diamond wasn't superstitious in the least bit. He wasn't obsessed with something that was frivolous and nonexistant. King Diamond knew that magic existed and he passionately practiced it.

In fact, he owned it.

Twenty-five years ago, before he came to power in France, Damian Ulanoviere had been a struggling man on the brink of starvation. But by stroke of what he deemed fortune, Damian had met a Wiseman who gave him an offer Damian could not refuse.

He remembered it quite well, actually. Damian had been running down a street attempting to seek shelter from pouring rain when a sleek black limousine suddenly pulled up in front of him.

A blackened window slid down and a hooded figure commanded, "Get in."

Not hesitating in the least bit, Damian opened the car door and quickly slid in. It was very logical; the car provided shelter from the rain, and Damian didn't care about anything else except present comfort. He really didn't value his life anymore. Not in the least bit. All he had left with him was a small forest green book he purchased last year with his last savings. Damian had no home, no house, and no family counting on him, so he never hesitated to do anything; he had nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Damian glanced appreciatively around the limousine. Posh and refined, the limo looked as if it were unreal. It starkly contrasted with the rundown street they were traveling in. 

"Why am I here?" Damian asked.

The hooded man picked up a wine bottle and poured two goblets of wine, offering one to Diamond. 

"You are here for many reasons. One, you have something that I want, and two, I have an offer to make."

"Shoot."

"Alright," the hooded man said, carelessly brushing specks of water off the seat. "I am Wiseman. I neither have nor will take any other name. In your right pocket, you have a very, very valuable book."

"No, you cannot have it."

"I don't want it."

"Good."

"Not really. I am interested in the reason of why you have it, and I want to know if any words appear in it."

"It's really none of your business"

"Humor me."

"I like collecting books such as these. This book is the only remaining Dark Arts book I have. I am drawn to it. I haven't been able to sell it. Yes, words do appear, though I cannot understand them. May I ask how you know about my book?"

"Excellent. Very good," Wisemand told himself. Then, looking up, Wismand informed, "That book will be very important to you, you know?"

"I see."

"You are young and rash."

"I'm twenty-seven, I'm allowed to be."

"You are an idiot. Now, listen to me. I have an offer to make. I offer you the gift of eternal youth and the gift of exceptional magical ability."

Damian believed him. Damian wanted to believe him; he had been waiting all his life to have magic's existence proven. It was why he was currently homeless. He had paid no heed to anything else.

Without asking why Wiseman chose him, Damian quickly responded, "I accept your offer. What's in it for you?"

"In exchange, you must surrender to me your ability to taste and your ability to die."

Damian nearly died of laughter. What would he want with taste and the ability to die anyways? He'd gladly give them up. It was cheap price to pay, in Damian's eyes anyway, for eternal youth and exceptional magical control.

"Deal." 

"Fool."

"Only you are."

Oh, how he ate those last words.

And thus was how Damian was granted his precious eternal youth and magic. Even presently at the age of 52, he didn't look nor feel a day over twenty-seven, and he wasn't going to die any day in the farthest future. Fortunately, Damian could age his appearance in the future. It was a sort of mask he donned when necessary, for any normal human would view his perpetual youth as incredibly odd. With religious tensions running so high, Diamond couldn't risk having anyone claim that he had sold his soul to the devil. No one in the right mind ever wants a modern witch-hunt gracing his country.

After the limo incident, Damian had used his newly gained powers and his masculine charm to persuade a highly prosperous company to hire him. Rolling in newly made money, Damian later bought himself a house in a refined upscale neighborhood. 

Most typically, there was a "girl next door" with whom he fell deeply in love with. They had carried on a short but passionate relationship. Though he never told her, she made up for his inability to taste anything. He loved her with all his heart. She was the angel who completed him; the cliched light at the end of his tunnel. Damian did dig himself an endless tunnel. He began to slowly regret his deal with Wiseman. Everything had no taste. Without taste, life itself wasn't really worth living. He worked hard and earn a lot of money. He was never starving, but he was deprived. Deprived of the pleasure of eating the food he earned. It drove him mad. He could smell the deliciousness of bread; he feasted his eyes on tender, mouth-watering morsels of meat, but when he popped food into his mouth, he tasted NOTHING! He wanted to die out of frustration. And he couldn't die! Even worse, what about this girl he loved? She'd shun him away if she knew his secret. Even if she didn't somehow run away from him, he'd be foreced to watch his love grow old and die, while he remained young and immortal. He wouldn't be able to do anything about anything!

But fate, being her ironically cruel self, solved that problem for Damian. His light eventually left him and married another man. Damian, however, refused to accept this. He loved her crazily, irrationally, and boundlessly, and he was furious. She somehow understood his madness and luancy. She  skillfully disappeared the hour after they broke up, all traces of her dissappearing. Damian went utterly insane without her. He never let go. Eyes blazing, he decided to track her down.  It took him nearly seven years to locate her. Strangely enough, even his magical abilities could not find her. He had planned to see how she was doing so he could maybe try to gain her back. But, upon seeing her, green eyes peered from his soul. He became furiously jealous again. He was so angry at her…so angry at everything. All ration flew out his ears. He had taken one look at her happy life, complete with an adoring husband and an adorable six-year-old daughter, and recklessly ordered three hired assassins to kill her and her family. 

He had gone quite mad indeed, but after the deed was reportedly done, he immediately began to regret it. He still missed her dreadfully. He became increasingly introverted and insane. Nothing was solved. He became totally and completely bent on filling the hole she left; this resulted in his rise to power.

It was a rather long story, but at the age of 38, Damian usurped the throne of France, changed his name, and declared himself King Diamond. Stupid fools that made up the kingdom didn't even know what hit them.

...BUT WAIT!...

Diamond was suddenly jolted out of his relfective reverie as frantic thoughts pelted his mind. 

That girl that intruded on his meeting today was his love's daughter! He was positive! She had the same aura and lifeprint that the six-year-old girl had. Besides, she had his love's looks and smile! 

But what did it mean?

Were forces at work against him?

Had his assassins deceived him? And why would they do that?

A diamond engagement ring that hung around his neck on a sliver chain glittered and winked in the flickering candlelight. Diamond's hands wound up touching the ring as a theoretical lightbulb shone over his head.

He had the sudden impulse to go question the girl who was no longer a child, but a new idea replaced that urge.

King Diamond smiled a smile that never reached his eyes.

Thanks for reading, please review?

Copyright, weepingmask (weepingmask@yahoo.com) 2002


	5. Chapter 4

Standard Disclaimer.

Chapter 4

"Oww...My head..." Serena moaned.

"Lady, do not worry," assured a thick Spanish accent that was distinctly female.

"What am I doing here?" Serena asked. Her mind blurred and became extremely painful when she tried to recall what happened.

"You are niece to..." the tall brunette paused, her brow furrowing, "to...to the Queen Mina of England. She has sent you here to France to meet King Diamond. You are England's ambassador...do you not recall?"

"Oh? Did she? Mina who?" a fuzzy picture of a smiling woman who looked uncannily like herself swam into Serena's head. "I mean, I can't really recall..."

"That is alright. Do not worry. You drank a little too much vinneer (pronounced vin-nee-eer) last night at the feast. Your memory will be fine in a few hours."

Serena was suddenly very skeptical. Something was wrong and something was very, very fishy. Her mind automatically replayed a colorful scene that featured women in beautiful gowns, men in dashing tuxedos, and a large amount of lively party music, but her heart most violently rejected what her mind told it. Her stomach lurched and Serena felt as if she wanted to throw up. 

"Lady, you look a bit green. Do you need a trash can to throw up in? It must be the vinneer giving you a slight hangover."

Serena again pulled a strange face, but she quickly squashed any feelings of doubt. The tall brunette simply looked to nice and kind to be evil and lying.

"No, that's ok, I think I'll be fine Mrs…what's your name?"

"You may call me Lita."

Serena looked extremely quizzical. "Lita? No last name?"

"Well, if you must know. I am ALitañya III, heir to the throne of Spain and distant cousin of King Diamond. I like the name Lita much better." She blushed. "My...my childhood friend gave me the name."

"WOW! A REAL LIVE PRINCESS?!" Even in her current state of discomfort, Serena became extremely excited.

"Do not forget that you are too," Lita reminded sagely.

"I am? Wow...this vinneer must have really scrambled my brain. Is it alcohol?"

"Somewhat. It's synthetically made so it has the..." Lita paused, searching for the right word, "the same...stupefying effect and taste of spirits, but without any of the repercussions, like liver cancer, etcetera, etcetera. But, you still get hangovers and memory lapses."

"Oh…" Serena couldn't understand why they didn't take out the hangover part too. But, even stranger, Serena wondered why she had even touched the stuff in the first place. It was a vow of her never to get drunk…

"Chop, Chop, now." Lita chirped. "We must get you new clothes, etcetera, etcetera."

"Huh? Haven't I got any already?"

"Well, yes you do! Except…Except they are not fashionable! Do not upset the French, Lady. They are very fond and persnickety about dress and etiquette you must remember. You are here to smooth aggression between France and Great Britain, do you not remember?"

"Actually, I don't."

Lita just bit her lip.

*   *   *

"Was the task successful?" King Diamond asked.

"Yes, very. She's very much confused right now, but in a few hours her new memories will set in. You did let her sniff all the powder, correct?" A woman with dark blue hair wearing a starched white lab coat asked.

"Yes. In her sleep."

"Good."

 "Oh, and her old memories are currently in that case over there," she added. "Lest she has some extraordinary power, she cannot regain them."

"Excellent. Can you put the memories on screen for me so that I may view them later this evening?"

"Of course, sir."

"Excellent job, Amy. I'll see to it that the Germans are not attacked anywhere in the near future. And you make a wonderful scientist, dear."

"Thank you," Amy accepted the compliment blushing.

Diamond waved his hand absentmindedly and left the room.

*  *  *

Serena was feeling much better by now. It was quite late in the afternoon, and the sun was almost setting. Lita and she had spent the whole day shopping, and both women were sitting at a sidewalk café quite exhausted. Much to her relief, Serena's memories had become sharper and much more believable. Yes, she remembered that she was the daughter of the Queen of England's sister and the second in line to the throne. It made much more sense now. And tonight she was going to a party! How delightful.

"Lita?"

"Mmm?"

"What should we wear to the party tonight?"

"Something interesting of course," Lita answered, sipping her coffee.

A sleek black craft rounded a distant corner and was slowly approaching the pair. Lita saw this and jabbed Serena motioning to the craft.

"Our ride is here."

*    *    *

"Zoicite, what are we going to do?" a frantic voice asked.

"I do not know, James, I do not know!"

"She's not here!"

"Duh, I can see that! I am not a fool," Zoicite remarked sarcastically pointing to Serena's bed.

"Shut up."

"No, you bloody American! You be quiet," Zoicite huffed in an arrogant but comical French accent.

James threw his hands up in the air, smacking his head against the wall in frustration. What had he done to deserve such a stupid partner? It was just great that Zoicite was a prudish French man who happened to hate all Americans. Unfortunately, James' loud head banging had set of a few guards stationed around the room.

"Hey! What's going on in there?" A gruff voice asked

"No one is supposed to be in there!" another gruff voice prompted.

"Look at what you did, you stupid American!" Zoicite looked disgusted. "You…you potato!" a gleam of pride entered Zoicite' eyes for picking such a wonderful insult. He had read it somewhere.

"O…k…" James sobered. "We've got to hide!"

The door burst open with a huge BANG.

The guards paused and looked around the room. Satisfied that no one was there, they left.

Under the bed, Zoicite smacked James on the head.

"Ow! I resent that! Hey, buddy I just saved our asses!"

"You stupid American! How fuzzy-headed are you…you spinach?! Look at my new suit!" Zoicite looked ready to cry. "It is ruined. We could have hid somewhere else!" He pulled at his immaculate ponytail, horrified that a few hairs were sticking out.

James smirked. "Where?"

Zoicite sputtered. "Be…quiet. You made me forget."

"Sure."

"Can we leave now?"

"One moment." James listened intently for any footsteps and nodded that it was alright for them to leave.

They leapt out of the window and landed soundlessly like cats.

They weren't aware that a figure above  had seen their supposedly sly movements.

*   *   *

A hand rapped gently outside of Serena's door.

"Come in," Serena called.

Diamond strolled casually into the room, not looking anywhere in particular.

"Lita, I say, how…" Serena abruptly stopped talking as she turned around and froze. 

Diamond's eyes met Serena's; his gaze dropped, and his eyes bugged out.

A ringing silence was heard.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Serena screamed, attempting to cover up her body. She had been getting ready for the party, and was currently standing in her underwear.

Diamond had the courtesy to blush and turned around. "I'm sorry."

"Um…I guess you're forgiven. I thought you were Lita!" Serena quickly rambled as she bashfully ran around the room searching for her robe. Finding it, she hastily picked it up and slipped it on.

"You can turn around now. I'm decent," she informed the man.

Diamond blushed again and cleared his throat, "Well, let me introduce myself. I am King Diamond. And you, my breathtaking woman, are Serena, correct?" He inched closer to her, took her hand into his, and kissed it.

"Yes," Serena replied dreamily. He looked very handsome. Not a day over twenty-seven. She wondered how he could be king at such a young age. Her heart fluttered as she thought she would melt at his compliments.

"May I ask you something?" King Diamond tentitavely asked.

"Shoot."

"May I be your escort tonight? Nothing would please me as much as being the date of such an exquisite creature as yourself," Diamond pleaded lightly, his pearly teeth twinkling.

"Of…of course," Serena stuttered.

"Meet me in my office down the hallway eight doors to your left, alright, dear?"

Her heart fluttered at his endearing title for her. "Yes…" Serena blushed.

An hour later Serena was found scrambling to finish powdering and primping. Not wanting to be late, Serena flew out the door and barreled down the hallway. 

CRASH.

Great, she thought, wonderful time to get a klutz attack.

Looking up, she met with the most startling and beatiful pair of green eyes she had ever seen. The man currently standing before her reminded her of someone she knew, and someone she felt many...emotion for? Serena became confused again. She couldn't place him anywhere in her memory.

She felt disconcerted for a full thirty seconds, and neither of them spoke.

"Who are you?" Serena asked.

James nearly died. She didn't recognize him? What was going on? After fighting with his emotions for a hectic minute, James decided to play along. Something was definitely amiss.

Serena waved her hands in front of the man's face.

Suddenly, the man held out his right hand, grinning charmingly.

She nearly fell over at the handsome sight he made, with his piercing green eyes, pearly teeth, and shiny black hair sparkling back at her.

"I'm James. Nice to meet you Serena," just as her name slipped out of his mouth, James nearly smacked himself. Way to go, Mr. Smooth.

"Hi…hey! How did you know my name?" Serena asked, puzzled.

"I heard about you," James half-lied.

"Oh, ok! Maybe I'll see you later then," Serena shook his hand and continued running down the corridor.

She missed the mixed look of hurt, sadness, and regret flash across the man's face.

"Serena…" James whispered. "Why don't you remember me…?" he questioned the air, his voice fading out.

Five million miles away, in outer space, a figure lay dormant in a space pod currently hurtling towards earth. 

The war was surely escalating, but HE could and would save them all.

Lucky bastards didn't even know how lucky they were.

Thanks for reading…please review?

Copyright, weepingmask (weepingmask@yahoo.com) 2002


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